Dragon Ball Z: Dynasty

Written by: Feraligreater328

Edited by: StevenBodner

Chapter 76: Humanity

Somewhere in the mountains...

It was a tense ride as Android 17, Android 18, and Android 16 continued their journey to Goku's house. All three of them are quiet, tensions still being high from the incident at the Full-Throttle Biker Fest. 16 had been in stasis ever since, 17 had being broiling with rage ever since, and 18 had been left stuck between this awkward situation.

Finally, after such a long silence, 18 spoke up. "17. Stop the van."

17 glared over at her. "Why?"

She sighed. "I have to pee. Now pull over!"

And so, 17 did. He pulled over and 18 hopped out, running over to and squatting behind a nearby bush. 17 got out of the van as well, having no desire to be around 16. After a few minutes of waiting, 17 marched over to a tree next to the bush and leaned against it. "How much did you drink back there?"

18 nearly fell over in surprise. "What the hell are you doing?! Haven't you ever heard of privacy?!"

Quiet set over the two again, the only sound being the sound of liquid trickling. Finally, 17 spoke again. "I'm done playing these games with him, 18. I want to leave him and just continue off on our own before he starts thinking he's our boss."

18's brow furrowed. She was annoyed. "Don't be a child, 17. We can't just leave 16 and the van behind like that."

17 shook his head. "Oh no, I'm not leaving my van behind. We're taking it. We're just going to leave him."

18 groaned. "You're such a brat. Anytime someone tries to look out for you, you get like this! 16 was probably just trying to keep a low profile. If Goku or his family saw on the news that a murder happened this close to them, then they might get spooked and run off! Subtlety is your friend when you're hunting something, 17."

He sneered. "First off, you know that subtle isn't my style. I want Goku to know we're coming, that's what makes the chase fun! And second off, I don't like to fight with you 18. But you know how I am about people treating us like children! And that's what he's doing! Him stepping in like that shows that he's just going to look down on us like everyone else has! And I refuse to allow that..."

18 fell silent, closing her eyes to think. Reflecting on the past, she couldn't help but agree with 17 that she didn't want to be treated like a child or ordered around anymore. She stood and pulled up her pants. After that, she turned to her brother. "Fine. But we're not just leaving him on the side of the road. If you want to get rid of 16 that badly, we're going to drop him off somewhere he'll at least feel comfortable."

17 groaned in frustration. "Fine."

A few hours later...

Eventually, a sign came into view that 17 and 18 saw as their chance: Kumagoon National Park. 18 read the sign out loud. "A place where man and nature can walk hand-in-hand..."

A small frown spread on 18's face and she turned and faced her larger friend. She really didn't want to take part in this, but if the choice came down to someone she had just met or her flesh-and-blood brother...she knew what choice she would have to make. With a bit of reluctance, 18 called out. "Hey, 16, wake up!"

After a moment, 16's eyes opened up. They briefly flashed bright red, and then turned into their pure, icy blue. "Yes? Have we arrived at Son Goku's home?"

18 shook her head. "N-No. Not exactly..."

The smug 17 cut in. "There's a nature park up ahead, big guy. You like nature, right?"

16 was stoic for a moment, but then a small smile appeared on his face. "Indeed. I would very much like to see a place such as that~"

17 chuckled. "Well, get ready bud~! We're parking right now~"

Within the grounds of Kumagoon National Park...

All of them together, the three Androids walked deeper and deeper into the man-made trails of Kumagoon National Park. Android 16 had taken the lead, with 17 and 18 keeping pace behind him. The big guy actually managed to surprise both of his peers by displaying a seemingly encyclopedic knowledge of everything around them. "And then type of tree is classified as the Pinus cembra, or Swiss Pine. It has a slow growth cycle, but can grow up to forty feet in length..."

16 walked up to the tree and placed his hand against it, making is slightly shake. 17 rolled his eyes. "Fascinating..."

18 tried her best to maintain a positive attitude, not wanting to let 16 catch on that something might be amiss. But her faux happiness was briefly broken by the sight of six wolves stepping out from the brush. 18 flinched. "That's a lot of wolves."

16 nodded. "Indeed."

He knelt down and reached out, grabbing the snarling lead wolf by the scruff of its neck and pulling it forward. The beast looked ready to maul 16, until he started to give it rather pleasing scratches behind the ears. 16 smirked. "Canis lupus lycacon, the Eastern Wolf. They can be aggressive, but are also easily befriended. So long as the leader of the pack is comfortable with any interloper in their midst..."

The rest of the pack leapt onto 16, licking him on the face and gnawing onto his armor. "The rest can be persuaded to behave just as placidly~"

18 genuinely smiled at 16's predicament. "That's...that's great, 16~"

The hulking Android stood, marching deeper into the forest and flanked by his new friends. "Come! There is more nature to be explored!"

16 marched into the forest, blissfully unaware of 17 or 18. 18 began to follow, but her arm was quickly grabbed. 17 smirked and held his finger up to his lips. 18 nodded and then, taking one last sad look at the shock of red hair disappearing into the hills, she and 17 both turned and walked the other way.

As they walked, 18 didn't bother to hide her displeasure. "I hate this, 17. I absolutely hate this."

17 rolled his eyes. "Come on, sis! The writing was on the wall. He was acting just like everyone before him did. Gero, Mom, Dad...16 is nothing more than another, old fool trying to tell us what to do!"

18's eyes were glued to the forest floor. "Is that really true though...?"

17 nodded. "Of course, it is! Don't forget, 18, Gero made him! He didn't convert that guy, he made him! And can you think of anything Gero made that turned out good?"

18's frown worsened.

Long ago...

A young woman woke up with a start. Trapped in darkness and finding herself unable to cry out, she began to thrash around, kicking and bucking and trying to see if she could find anything other than the cold, rocky floor she was laying on. She felt something digging into her wrists and grunted in pain as she felt a warm, sticky stream begin to leak down one of her palms.

Sounds were muffled. But she soon made out...laughter?

"It appears as if our second test subject has woken up~"

Rather jarringly, the young woman's head was yanked forward as the bag covering it was removed. She fell back and grunted behind the thick band of tape that was wrapped around her jaw and mouth. She looked down at her ankles and back at her wrist to see that both were bound with sets of handcuffs.

And then, she looked forward and her eyes widened in shock. In front of her was a poorly-aged, balding old man in a lab coat. And behind him was a rotund, pale ghoul and a large, metal slab. And on that slab, she quickly recognized, was the unconscious form of her twin brother.

The old man chuckled. "Well, 19, it would appear as if our soon-to-be new Android 18 is wide awake. So, she gets to be the captive audience for the construction of our new Android 17..."

The girl tried to speak behind her gag, but found it to be impossible. The old man shook his head and went back to his work. "Now then...prepare the bone-saw. We'll begin the procedure by opening up his chest..."

In the present...

Android 18 shuddered as she walked. Concerned, 17 turned to her. "You okay?"

She didn't look at him. "Yeah, I'm fine..."

She shivered again and 17 nodded. "It is pretty cold out here, with the snow and all..."

He pointed his thumb to a nearby rest stop. "That place looks like it has a coffee machine. Wanna stop and get a cup of shitty coffee? Just like old times?"

18 adopted a small smile. "Yeah. That sounds good..."

The two of them marched over to the rest stop and 18 put some of her previously stolen zeni into the machine. "If only Mom or Dad could see us now, huh...? What do you think they'd say?"

17 rolled his eyes. "Moonwater would probably be going on and on about how our powers are a miracle of nature...or she'd want nothing to do with us because of the machines implanted in us..."

Upon hearing this, memories rapidly flashed through 18's head. She gripped her fresh cup of coffee hard enough to crush it and 17 flinched. "How about you just go sit down and rest. I'll grab our drinks."

18 nodded. "Okay..."

As 18 sat down, 17 ordered her a new cup. "I bet Dan wouldn't even recognize us. If he ever knew what we looked like to begin with..."

18 pressed her face into her palms, breathing heavily. "Mhm..."

17 sat next to her, placing her cup of coffee on the bench between them. "We could always try and settle down. Maybe Dan not recognizing us would be beneficial. We could work as security at his stupid jewelry store..."

18 didn't say a word. 17 frowned, reaching over and stroking his hand soothingly down her back. "Hey...it's okay. You don't have to be like this. We're strong now, 18..."

She began to quiver. 17 looked away from her, bowing his head. "Strong people shouldn't have to cry, sis..."

Long ago...

Android 18 backflipped with a serious expression on her face. Androids 14 and 15 gave chase, both of them firing blasts and wildly missing. Android 17, meanwhile, was locked into conflict with Android 13.

As his creations traded blows, Dr. Gero and Android 19 both watched from below. 19 kept his focus on the twins above, recording their movements. Gero, meanwhile, went down a checklist of various parameters he was monitoring: 17 and 18's enhanced strength and reflexes, their quality of their energy barriers, and their offensive Power Blitz attack.

14 and 15 both caught up to 18 and immediately began to attempt hand-to-hand combat, but it proved to be ineffective against the feminine Android. She was easily able to block and deflect their attacks and send them both flying away with a double Power Blitz.

As 14 attempted to stand, dazed and confused, Android 18 landed and began to smack him about. The larger robot didn't stand a chance, being buckled by a hard knee to the gut and sent flying with a kick to the jaw. From behind, Android 15 drew his hand back. He coated it with energy and shot it forward, attempting to slap Android 18 across the face. But, her lightning-quick reflexes allowed her to catch it. She turned to 15 and shot him a sadistic smirk.

Meanwhile, Android 17 and Android 13 clashed rather evenly. 17 struck hard, raining his fist down with all his might. However, 13 was able to catch it. The redneck Android went for a punch of his own, but 17 caught that as well. The two of them glared at one another and 13 chuckled. "Thinkin' yer pretty tough, huh city-boy?"

17 snorted. "That accent is ridiculous~"

And then, he smashed his forehead into 13's nose. The Android stumbled back, his trucker hat going flying. And then 17 charged. He tried for a kick, but 13 ducked it and shot his hand up and around 17's throat. The smaller Android was choke-slammed by his bigger counterpart and then stomped for good measure. He went for another stomp, but 17's foot kicked upward and caught 13 between the legs. Stunned, the bigger Android crashed to his knees and 17 smashed him in the face with a Power Blitz. 17 chuckled. "How's that one feel, Jim-Bob?"

13 responded by reached out and grabbing 17's hair, slamming his elbow into the smaller Android's face. 17 stumbled back, but his heightened defense allowed his to escape with no noticeable injury. 13 snarled and wiped blood from the corner of his mouth. "I'm gettin' real sick o' yer lip, boy!"

Back with the other three, 18 was effortlessly manhandling 14 and 15. She grabbed the bigger of the two by his hair braid, heaving him into the air and slamming his atop 15. The shorter Android growled from under his bigger partner. "Get the hell off me!"

As 15 scrambled to his feet, adjusting his clothes, 18 appeared in front of him. She blew a kiss in his face and chuckled. "You have got to be the least intimidating pimp I've ever seen."

And then, to add injury to insult, 18 smashed her knee into 15's face and knocked him out cold. 14 attempted to lunge at her from behind, but 18 effortlessly blasted him into submission with a rapid-fire series of Power Blitzes. And then, she redirected her hand and fired another 3 Power Blitzes into Android 13's back. 13 turned and glared at her. "You know, I'm not one to hit a lady...but you sure do look as if you need to be reminded of your place."

18 responded by clearing her throat and hawking a massive loogie right onto 13's cheek. "Get bent."

Android 13 snarled and raised his hand into the air. "S.S. Deadly Bomber!"

He chucked the attack at 18 and she, in response, merely stood there with a smirk. 13 was confused, and was unprepared when a green energy barrier suddenly enveloped his attack. "What the hell?!"

17 appeared behind him with a smirk. "Did you forget you were fighting me?"

And then, he kicked 13 hard in the back of the head. As the larger Android shot forward, 18 shot a massive energy blast that forced the contained S.S. Deadly Bomber towards him. The two forces met in the middle and it resulted in a massive explosion.

Once the smoke cleared, Android 13 was still standing. However, he was quite heavily damaged. The redneck Android looked pissed. "I'm gonna kill both of you little anklebiters!"

17 chuckled. "Yeah, sure~ How about I hit you with something new?!"

The impetuous, young Android waved his hands about in the air until, to 13's confusion, they began to crackle with electricity. "I made this move myself, it's called-"

Suddenly, 17 and 18's eyes both went wide. 18 cried out and gripped her chest tight, falling to her knees. 17 fell from the sky like a stone and writhed in place. "Agh!"

Dr. Gero stepped forward, forced to use a cane to keep balanced. "I do not recall giving you permission, Android 17, to innovate with your powers to such a degree."

17 glared hatefully up at Dr. Gero, still gripping his chest. The doctor stared coldly. "I have gifted you and Android 18, street rats though you were, with a subset of powers and abilities that I have approved of you having. I even allowed you, unlike with models such as the Saiyan Hunters, to keep your free will so that you might hunt down and destroy Goku without my constant input..."

Gero planted the tip of his cane into 17's cheek and pressed down. "But you would be wise to remember that free will is a privilege, not a right. And that, going against that directive will result in harsh punishment for both you and Android 18..."

The doctor turned and motioned to his assistant. "19, prepare Android 17 and Android 18's stasis capsules for a refurbishment procedure."

19 nodded. "As you command, Doctor Gero."

Gero snapped his fingers. "13, 14, and 15. It would appear as if 17 and 18 need to be taught a lesson. You have my permission to do all but kill them. Break their spirits...and as many of their bones as you would like. With their Infinite Energy Engines shut off, they are defenseless~"

17 snarled and tried to push his aching, crippled body up. "I will...I will kill you one day! Do you hear me?! Huh, Gero?!"

The doctor wordlessly waved 17 off. 17 snarled, but was then shocked as 14 and 15 descended upon 18. 14 wickedly smirked and grabbed her by the arm, wrenching her shoulder out of socket. 18 screamed in pain and 17 tried to come to her aid. "Leave her alo-"

A massive boot stomped down on 17's extended hand, shattering every bone in it. He cried out in pain and glared up at his assailant, Android 13. The larger Android snickered. "Looks like the shoe is on the other foot now, boy~"

Back in the present...

Android 17 sighed and pulled 18 into a tight, brotherly hug. "You don't have to cry anymore, 18. We're free! Gero can't control us anymore! We're the two strongest people on this entire planet and nothing can stand up to that!"

He stood and smiled. "No more dragging along the bottom. The entire world is our playground!"

18 looked up and saw her brother reached out his hand. "We live for ourselves and each other! We protect ourselves and each other! And that will never change, right?!"

Android 18 wiped her face, her breathing still shaky. Silently, she nodded her head. Android 17 put his arm over her shoulder and they continued to walk together. Soon enough, they made their way out of the park and back to their pink van. 17 climbed into the driver's seat and 18 sat in the passenger seat next to her. "So, 18, where to?"

He looked over and smiled at his sister, only to see her wistfully staring into the back of the van. 17 rolled his eyes. "Come on, sis! Are we still on this?! We left him behind! Let's focus on moving forward!"

18 didn't look away from the spot, her focus remaining on where 16 normally sat. Finally, 17 lost his temper. "18! Come on, man! He's just a robot! Forget him!"

She shook her head, finally speaking. "No, 17! He's more than that! He...he shows mercy and compassion! He's not just a robot! He's...he's something more than that! You can tell it just by looking in his eyes! There's feeling behind those eyes, 17!"

17 rolled his eyes. "All of Gero's puppets are like that, 18! 13's eyes were full of arrogance, 14's eyes were full of pride, even 19 had that creepy stare like he was looking at a writhing insect! 16 is nothing more than one of them! Another one of Gero's human-like puppets! Another adult that wants to lord over our lives and try to control us!"

18 turned to him, sneering. "How can you say that?! 16 isn't like the rest of those creeps! He's only ever been nice to us! He's never starved us, or abandoned us, or hurt us, or violated us!"

17 was furious, slamming his fists down on the steering wheel. Dents in the shape of 17's fists were left behind. "Not yet! No one starts out doing that! But you know how people are! We can't trust someone just because they're outwardly nice to us! Every time we've done that in the past, all we've gotten is burned and scarred and forced into even deeper trouble than before!"

18 flinched and he continued to rant. "Just look at what we've dealt with since we were reactivated! That biker asshole shot me in the back of the head without a second thought! And even he's better than that Vegeta prick! That guy would have killed us both out of his own arrogance and pride! We've suffered too much, 18! We don't need to take that risk again!"

Android 18 shouted back. "So, we're just supposed to be alone for the rest of our lives?!"

Tears started to stream again. 18 was shaking. "I'm so tired of being alone, 17. We've spent so much of our time alone. And I get that you hate humanity and that you hate how humans can act, but...16 isn't human! Not in that way!"

17 flinched. 18 glared at him. "So please...please...can't we just give him a chance? Maybe try to explain our viewpoint to him? Maybe...just maybe...add someone to our little circle that won't stab us in the back...?"

He shook his head. "No! Absolutely not! I refuse to change my mind on this! I'm not falling into that trap again!"

18 snapped at him. "Then you're becoming exactly what Gero wanted you to be! An unfeeling, unchanging, single-minded tool!"

17 was taken aback. 18 pulled her legs up, hugging them tight and burying her face into her knees. The male Android was still pissed...but, those words that 18 had said resonated within him. And finally, with a heavy sigh, Android 17 relented. "Fine. We'll go talk to him. But he only gets one more chance, 18. If I don't like what he has to say and he doesn't offer an apology, then I refuse to deal with him anymore."

Android 18 sighed, wiping her face. "F-Fine. That should be that hard...we just have to reason with him..."

Back in the park...

17 and 18 walked through the various nature trails, trying to see if they could find any sign of Android 16. But, for such a big guy, he was proving to be quite the challenge to find. 17 was getting annoyed again. "Dammit. He's a hulking, red-headed giant wearing lime green armor! How is he not sticking out like a sore thumb?!"

18 was forlorn. "Maybe...he noticed that we left without saying anything and decided that he was better off without us..."

As the two of them continued their search, they were soon approached by an attentive looking park ranger. "Excuse me, park-goers! May I have a minute of your time?"

17 and 18 both paused, unsure of what to make of all of this. The ranger approached, adopting a kindly smile on his face. "I'm sorry to bother you while you're on a trip through nature, but I was wondering if either of you have noticed anyone strange stalking around the park. We've had some reported sightings of a certain type of intruder..."

Neither 17 nor 18 knew how to respond. Inside, both of them were worried that this ranger was talking about 16. So, they tried to pull a bit more information from the guy. 18 cocked her head. "Um...that's a bit unclear. What type of intruder are we talking about here?"

The ranger nodded. "Of course. You see, we've had several reports that bear poachers have made their way into our humble, little park through the outer forest. Have you seen any shady looking trucks or anything like that around?"

Instantly, 17 and 18 knew that the ranger wasn't talking about Android 16. So, 17 spoke up. "No. Sorry. We haven't seen anything like that."

The ranger shook his head. "That's too bad."

He nodded to them both. "Well, if you happen to see anything like that, please be sure to report it to the nearest ranger you can find. Contributions from steadfast park-goers like you will be what puts a stop to this poaching ring!"

18 sighed, just wanting the conversation with this guy to end so they could get back to their search. "S-Sure thing. Whatever you say, sir~"

The ranger nodded and smiled. And then, once he was gone, 17 and 18 returned to their search. As they continued to work, the Androids eventually came upon what they were looking for. It was hard to see at first, but 17 soon noticed a familiar shock of red hair sticking out of a bush. He pointed and 18 looked as well, eventually seeing the familiar sight of Android 16 rising out of the bushes. She called to him. "16!"

But, to her shock, 16 turned away. He marched deeper in the forest without so much as a word. 18 flinched, looking discouraged. "I guess he really is mad that we left him..."

17 watched as 18's mood started to fall again. He sighed. "Listen. Let's follow him. If he's really mad, I'll just take the blame. He can hate me, or whatever, but you and him can still be friends..."

18 shook her head. "No. We're not doing that. Let's follow him and just try to explain ourselves..."

And so, they did. 17 and 18 both rushed through the brush, deeper into the wilderness. It took a few minutes, but the eventually found 16 again. The two Androids emerged from the forest onto a small riverbank and ran up to their comrade. 18 called out to him. "16!"

Android 16 turned, smiling at the two. "Hello 17. Hello 18."

17 cocked his head. "What's up, man? Why were you ignoring us earlier?"

16 sighed. "Forgive me. I must not have heard you. My mind was...elsewhere."

18 walked up to him. "What do you mean else...Oh my God!"

17 and 18 both looked on in shock as 16 knelt down next to an injured bear cub. The larger Android gently brought his hand up to the cub's mouth, opening it to reveal a handful of berries. The little cub weakly began to eat. 17 looked visibly disturbed. "Wh-What happened to the little guy...?"

16 grunted. "I found this young cub with a bullet embedded into its side. I managed to draw out the remains of the bullet by utilizing my energy barrier function to encase and draw it out. Now, I am trying to feed it and help it to recover."

He turned to them. "Would you be willing to help me in caring for this young one?"

17 and 18 both nodded without a second thought. 16 smiled. "Excellent. According to my biological index, the best food for a cub at this stage of development would by a river salmon. And the best way to patch its wound would be a with a selection of herbs that can be found in the surrounding forest."

18 immediately stood. "Call out what these herbs look like to me and I'll find them."

17 rolled up his sleeves and tromped into the river. "Salmon are red, right?"

It took them a few minutes, but 17 and 18 both eventually returned with what 16 directed them to find. 17 gently placed the fish next to the cub's mouth and watched as it started to eat. 18, meanwhile, ripped on of the black sleeves off of her outfit. She watched as 16 ground the herbs into a fine paste and spread them across the wound. And then, following her larger counterpart's directions, she wrapped the sleeve around the cub.

As the little guy started to rest, the three Androids finally got a chance to talk. 17 grumbled. "Now then, 16...we need to talk."

16 turned to 17. "What would you like to talk about?"

17 glared at him. "You know what I want to talk about. We need to discuss boundaries, 16. You had no right to butt into my business back at that biker festival and I want an apology."

16 remained stoic. "I see nothing to apologize for. I saw you attempting to make a critical error and I corrected you."

17 grunted. "Critical error, huh? And just what critical error would that be?!"

16 spoke bluntly. "You attempted to terminate that biker."

17 instantly became defensive, even looking slightly offended. "And did you not see that biker try to 'terminate' me first?! He pulled out that gun while my back was turned and shot me in the back of the head, 16!"

16 closed his eyes and nodded. "He did."

17 smugly smirked, feeling as if he had won the argument. "See! Even you agree! So, where's my-"

16 cut him off. "You had every right to retaliation. But, terminating that biker's life would have been a fatal mistake, Android 17."

17 flinched. "Fa...Are you threatening me?!"

Instantly, 17 was on his feet. He snarled at 16. "Are you threatening me, 16?!"

Android 16 stood as well, looming over 17 with a stoic expression on his face. 17 gripped his fists. It was clear that tensions were about to break. But, 18 quickly intervened. "Both of you calm down! We shouldn't be fighting each other! We need to-"

To the surprise of all three Androids, the bear cub stood as well. The little creature limped over to 16, biting the Android's boot and giving it a tug. The bear cub hobbled into the brush and, putting his argument with 17 on the backburner, 16 wordlessly followed along. 17 and 18 shared a brief look, and then 18 followed as well. 17 growled under his breath, but he also followed along...albeit, begrudgingly.

Along the riverbank, downstream...

The Androids followed along behind the bear cub for nearly thirty minutes. But they were eventually led to a massive waterfall capping the end of the stream. All three of the Androids stared at the waterfall, and then they watched as the cub hobbled behind it. Android 16 narrowed his eyes. "A cave, hidden from sight and from the notice of any park rangers..."

As 16 marched behind the waterfall, 17 and 18 both turned to one another. 18 cocked her head. "Poachers, ya think?"

17 nodded. "I'd say it's a possibility..."

The two, younger Androids both walked behind the waterfall and into the cave hidden behind it. The sight they came upon once they walked in was something truly horrific. Lines of cages, stacked three-high, all throughout the entire, massive cave. And within each cage, at least two bears were shivering. Most of them were injured, some of them critically so. Nearer to the back, Android 16 was stood next to the bear cub. He watched, his fists shaking with quiet fury, as the poor creature desperately licked at the paw of a barely conscious bear locked within. "Poachers."

What 16 did next shocked both 17 and 18. With his bare hands, the hulking Android grabbed the sturdy, steel bars of the cage and ripped them asunder. The cage ripped open and the two bears within slowly lifted their heads. 16 watched at the bear cub hobbled in and began to lick his parents. 16 nodded to the three of them and then got to work opening the other cages.

The massive Android worked fast, managing to rip open the hateful cages with little effort and release family after family of bears. 17 and 18 stood to the side, allowing the small army of bears to make their way out of the cave, most of them too out of it to even pay the other two Androids any mind. 18 turned to 17. "Still think he's just another one of Gero's puppets, 17?"

17 frowned. "Now listen here, I-"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

17 and 18 both turned in the direction of 16's voice. They had no idea what could make the big guy cry out like that, but they weren't taking any chances. Both of them ran into the rear of the cave, each with a blast prepared. But what they found was merely Android 16, knelt on the ground, with his face buried in his hands. 18 quickly ran up to him, placing a comforting hand on his back. "16! What's wrong?!"

16 was inconsolable. "Th-The bears..."

17 cocked his head. "What about them? You freed them all, what's-"

And then, a drip fell from the ceiling. 17 and 18 both looked up and what they saw shocked them. Hanging from the ceiling were dozens of bear pelts, all of them left hanging to dry out. 18 was gobsmacked. "Wh-What the hell is this?!"

17 looked from the ceiling, into the darkened corner of the room. He tried to make out what the huge mass in the corner was, and then the smell hit him. 17 shook his head. "Ugh...that's just shameful..."

18 knelt next to the gentle giant. "A-Are they..."

16 nodded, sounding in pain. "By all scans and parameters...they are indeed dead..."

The two Androids looked to one another and then down to the despondent 16. 18 sighed. "16...why don't you just go and help the other bears find their way out of the cave? Just...leave this to us, okay bud?"

Android 16 wordlessly stood. He looked down at 18 and she smiled up at him. And then he nodded and walked the other way, leaving the horrific scene behind. 17 and 18 both looked to one another and nodded, and then they both started blasting. They made sure to burn every pelt, every bear corpse, and every last tool in the room. And, once that was done, they both started blasting the ceiling to bury the horrors that happened in that room permanently.

Outside of the cave...

Android 17 and Android 18 both exited the cave to the sight of 16 and several of the bears all standing in front of them. 18 called out. "What's up, 16? Is something-"

She gave pause as the full image came into view. The Androids and the bears were surrounded from all sides by poachers, each of them with their rifles cocked and ready to fire. From the back of the group, from within a truck parked between two trees, the lead poacher stepped forward. He chuckled. "Well, I am afraid that you three have seen too much..."

17 and 18 both glared, each of them striking a fighting stance. Android 16 stood stalwart. "Your actions here, against these innocent creatures, is unacceptable. It is advised that you all turn yourselves in to the proper authorities for due process in regards to your actions."

This line from 16 got all of the poachers riled up. Raucous, mocking laughter echoed out from all sides. The lead poacher chuckled and removed his hat. "My word. What a foolishly noble thing to say. My friend, in case you can't tell...we have all of the guns here! So, I would say that we call the shots! Not you!"

16 nodded. "Your decision has been accepted. I shall now respond accordingly."

And then, in defiance of everyone pointing a weapon at him, 16 marched forward. 18 began to follow, but 17 quickly seized her arm. She glared at him and he shook his head. "Hold on a second, sis. It's not like 16 needs our help anyway...I wanna see how he responds to this..."

The lead poacher sneered. "I would recommend that you stop right now!"

16 continued to march, unflinching and unblinking. A bead of sweat trailed down the man's face. He looked around at his men, seeing how unnerved they all looked. The lead poacher snarled. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ALL WAITING FOR?! OPEN FIRE!"

The men did as they were told, all of them pointing their weapons at 16 and firing at him. The hulking Android responded by simply forming an energy barrier around himself. The bullets all collided and crumbled against the strength of the shield, their refuse falling harmlessly to the ground.

17 was confused. "What is he...?"

The raven-haired Androids eyes shifted to watch the various injured bears attempting to limp into the safety of the brush. And then, he came to a realization. "He's acting as a distraction...he's keeping their focus off of the bears..."

18 gasped. "16..."

But then, to the Androids' shock, one of the poachers called out. "Hey! The damned bears are getting away! Focus your fire on them!"

Several of the poachers switched their attention, one of them aiming his rifle directly at the cub. "Heya! I see that little varmint that got away before! Ain't that just-"

Android 18's foot rained from the sky like an anvil, kicking the poacher in the back of the head hard enough that he bounced off of the ground. The other poachers were surprised. "What the hell?!"

Immediately, another poacher was sent flying across the forest by a punch to the face. Android 17 stood where he once stood and glared at the other poachers. "Why don't you try to skin something your own size?!"

They all flinched. 18 stood up straight and adjusted her hair out of her face. "16. Go help the bears get away, we'll handle these clowns."

16 stared up at his two comrades for a moment, and then he nodded. The hulking Android quickly turned and went over to help the bears to safety. 17 and 18, meanwhile, took their time to clean house. The poachers could only scream in terror as these seemingly innocuous teens dodged their bullets like it was second nature and broke their rifles like they were toys.

The lead poacher called out in frustration. "What the hell are you guys doing?! It's just three, random nobodies!"

This admonishment was met by screams of terror as 17 and 18, non-lethally, dealt finishing blows to each of the cruel poachers. The men were sent flying high into trees, down into the river, and across the forest as their young foes used them as makeshift punching bags. Soon enough, their numbers were dwindled to zero and 17 and 18 stood over their defeated pile of enemies. Surprisingly, the two had managed to hold back enough to avoid killing anyone.

17 chuckled. "Well that was fun~"

As the raven-haired Android spoke to his blonde counterpart, the lead poacher stared in shock. "Th-These brats..."

17 laughed out loud. The lead poacher sneered. "I'll show you..."

He reached into his coat and pulled out a pistol, aiming it at the back of 17's head. 17 was totally unaware. "What a bunch of losers~"

The lead poacher shouted. "Eat lead you little punk!"

And then a gunshot rang out.

17 and 18 both turned to see a compelling sight. Android 16 stood between the two of them and the lead poacher, smoke curling from the center of his forehead where the bullet had collided. Briefly, 16 began to fall back. But then, his foot stomped against the ground and he righted himself. Android 16 stood tall, looming over the lead poacher as he reached up to his forehead and picked off the crushed bullet. The lead poacher screamed in fear. "Wh-Wh-Wh-What the hell are you?!"

He aimed his gun at 16, readying to fire again. But, 16 merely reached down and pulled the pistol from the man's hands, crushing it like a wine glass. Android 16 glared at the poacher. "You chose not to turn yourself in to the proper authorities, so now you will be made to. There is no fleeing from this."

And then, to prove his point, 16 reached out and grabbed the lead poachers truck. The Android didn't break eye contact with the man as he lifted the truck off of the ground and then tossed it into a nearby rockface. The truck exploded and the poacher shrieked fear. 16 looked at him with pity, and then he turned to 17 and 18. "Would you kindly go and notify a park ranger of this?"

A few minutes later...

The poachers were all quickly rounded up as every ranger in the park rolled in. While the criminals were cuffed and lead away, the head ranger addressed 16, 17, and 18 with the utmost respect. "You three should be very proud over what you've done here today! We need more attentive guest like you in our park!"

17 and 18 were both taken aback at such a warm reception. 16, meanwhile, was more concerned with saying his goodbyes to his bear cub friend. He watched as, finally, one of the rangers loaded the cub and its family into a trailer to be taken away for treatment of their wounds. The lead ranger smiled. "Not to worry, my friend. Our park has a great veterinary staff. Those bears will all be fine."

16 read the man's face, seeing nothing but warmth and sincerity. "Indeed. Thank you."

The head ranger spoke. "And so, to finish this out, I would like to honor the three of you with these..."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out three small, golden badges. The ranger nodded at the three Androids. "These are official, park ranger deputy badges. It is my honor to deputize the three of you as park rangers for your contributions to wildlife conservation."

17 and 18 both awkwardly took their badges. 16 took his with a thankful nod. And then, as quickly as the ranger and his followers had moved in to apprehend the poachers, they all left. And this left 16, 17, and 18 all alone, in the middle of the woods.

It was silent for a few moments, but then 17 spoke. "I... I can't believe that you didn't pound that guy into a fine paste, 16. I've never seen you that angry before. I would have..."

16 was blunt. "That is a destructive, toxic mindset. If I were you, 17, I would outgrow such a way of thinking."

17's face twisted into a mask of annoyance and anger. 18 frowned. "Oh, here we go..."

And then, 17 snapped. He shouted at Android 16 at the top of his lungs. "What is your deal, man?! Why do you, of all people, suddenly think that you're the moral police who can judge someone over trying to kill someone?! 18 and I have been pushed around by people our entire lives! Why in the hell shouldn't I push back now that I have the strength to?! HUH?!"

Android 16 spoke clearly. "You argue that you have been granted some form of power, therefore you should be allowed to act as you please. Might makes right, I assume is your mindset? Well...logically speaking, I cannot fault your attitude. Because, as far as my scanners can tell, there is nearly nobody on this planet that could stop you from acting as you wish."

17 smug smiled. "See, even you can't deny it! As long as I'm the top dog, I'm entitled to-"

Android 16 closed his eyes. "But, what of your humanity?"

17 was taken aback. But he quickly recovered. "What of my humanity?! Can't you see how meaningless humanity as a concept is, 16?! Everyone has it, it's the one thing that every person in this world it born with! And they're willing to throw it all away for the pettiest shit! Why should I bother holding onto my humanity, 16?! Humanity is worthless!"

16 gave a calm retort. "I fundamentally disagree."

17's eye twitched. "What?!"

16 continued. "Perhaps people do abuse and discard their humanity for short-term benefits. Some even rid themselves of it for long-term, single-minded goals. Perhaps, in the eyes of those born with it, humanity is little more than a throwaway concept or an item to be traded for wealth, or power, or any other worldly desire. But..."

He stared right into 17's eyes. "As a being born without that feeling of humanity within...as a being born without a soul...it is the one thing that I would trade anything within my possession to acquire."

17 and 18 both flinched. 16 continued. "My existence is one without feeling. I can process things such as pain and warmth, and I can simulate things such as happiness or anger, but they are little more than pantomimes given as logical response to outer stigma. I observe both you and Android 18, beings who are able to experience happiness and sadness and anger and warmth and fulfillment. I look at the both of you and the impulses within my head can only simulate envy as a response."

16 gripped his fists. "And to see one of you so willing to throw those things away for a sense of power or a temporary sense of fulfillment...I see that as a fatal error. A sin which I cannot allow you to undertake. For, once you lose that feeling of humanity...I see no logical way to re-attain such a lost feeling ever again."

17 was on the backfoot, but he still rolled his eyes. "And you say all of these flowery things as a being who admits that he exists only to kill one, specific guy?!"

16 was blunt. "Indeed. I am a machine forced to follow the programming instilled into me. I draw no joy, nor passion from it. It is merely an assigned task that I am set to carry out. And... I was not blessed with the humanity to go against that programming."

Android 16, Android 17, and Android 18 all stood there in the crisp, white snow. 17 and 18 both stared at 16 in shock. 16 stared right back. "So, I urge you, my fellow Androids, to please consider what it is you have within. Not the machinery, not even the flesh, but what lies even deeper within than that. And I ask that you please...be considerate of what it is you have, and what life might be were you to give it up."

A couple of hours later...

The sun was starting to set. Android 16 and Android 18 had both had fun through their tour of the park, interacting with various wildlife and learning all sorts of new animal facts. 17, meanwhile, was significantly more morose throughout the entire hike.

The three Androids arrived back at their stolen, pink van and all climbed into their normal seats. 16 saw the new dents in the steering wheel, but chose not to question them. Wordlessly, 17 started the van and the three of them drove off from the park.

It was a silent drive for a while, 16 bowing his head to enter pseudo-stasis, 18 staring off into the distance, and 17 gripping the wheel. And then, out of nowhere, 17 spoke up. "Lapis."

16 was confused, but 18 was genuinely thrown for a loop. 16 turned his attention to 17. "Lapis? What is the relevance of that word?"

17 continued. "Before Gero got his hands on us, before he christened my as Android 17...my name was Lapis. That was my...human name..."

Another pause. This one feeling quite awkward. 17 was blushing as red as a tomato. And then, 18 spoke up. "Mine was... L-Lazuli..."

16 paused for a moment, taking in what he had just heard. "Your names...are Lapis and Lazuli?"

17 nodded. "Yup."

16 cocked his head. "In reference to..."

18 blurted out, burying her embarrassed, red face in her hands. "The stone! Yes! The two of us are collectively named after a gemstone, 16!"

Another brief moment of awkward pause, to allow that to set in. And then, 18 spoke up again. "Our mother...Moonwater...she and her little commune were camping near South City. And she, uh, she met a jeweler that lived there. His name was Dan Lazarus..."

17 rolled his eyes. "Pompous dick thought he was high class, so he paid to have a surname established for himself..."

18 continued. "They had a fling for a while, because she and her commune were protesting a factory or something being built over wetlands and that made it to where they had to stick around the area. And, eventually, that fling led to her having two kids. And, you know, selfish asshole that he was, he decided that that was where the relationship would end..."

17 shook his head. "She decided to name the kids something that would be 'meaningful to Mother Gaea' and something that might make her husband want to take custody of them. In other words, she named the two of them 'Lapis' and 'Lazuli'..."

16 was confused. "And the logic behind such an outlandish naming choice was...?"

18 sighed. "Moonwater was always someone who liked to think she was in tune with nature. When ol' Dan decided that he wanted nothing to do with us, she tried to raise us to be like her. Only...whenever she felt we had displeased Mother Gaea, she denied us nature's bounty..."

17 shook his head. "In other words, if we did something she didn't like such as getting into mischief or screwing around or whatever, she didn't feed us. So, after we got sick of that and we got old enough to run off on our own, we left and tried to reconnect with Dan. And, surprise-surprise, he slammed the door in our faces."

18 finished. "So, we lived on our own for a few years, stealing to survive and living out of a car that 17 had stolen. And then...Gero found us and the rest was history."

Silence fell over the van again. 17 and 18 both seemed unhappy to have dredged up the past, but they both also felt a lot better to have gotten all of that off of their chests. And then, 16 spoke. "So, your full names are Lapis Lazarus and Lazuli Lazarus? The alliteration is entirely ridiculous..."

This immediately annoyed both 17 and 18. 18 turned in her seat. "How dare-"

But then, she noticed that 16 had a small smile on his face. 18 flinched. "Did you...just make a sarcastic jab at us?"

16 spoke with a bit of whimsy in his voice. "Perhaps~ I am designed to read a room and react accordingly in comparison to those in my company..."

17 and 18 both looked at one another. And then, they both started to laugh. They both laughed so hard that 17 had to pull over to prevent from crashing. The raven-haired young man snorted and wiped tears from the corners of his eyes. "O-Oh...oh man...I can't believe it. He actually has a sense of humor..."

As 17 and 18 continued to laugh, 16 smiled. And then, closing his eyes, he spoke up. "Gebo."

Both of them stopped and turned to him. 18 cocked her head. "What did you say?"

16 turned to them. "I am a fully artificial being. But, the man whom my design is based off of, Doctor Gero's deceased son, was named Gebo."

17 and 18 were both stunned, looking equally confused. 18 spoke up. "Your gigantic design is based off of a real person?!"

17 was taken aback. "That old bastard had a son?!"

16 nodded. "Indeed. Gebo was a bold, effective, and dynamic man. He had an immense love for nature and a complete distrust of people. He eventually lost his life to a bullet from an assailant during the King Piccolo riots."

18 sat back, only half-caring. "Man, that sucks. If he weren't Gero's kid, I'd feel bad for him."

16 nodded. "25.7% of my total memory space is actually composed of digitized recreations of Gebo's memories, based off of his brain tissue which Dr. Gero sliced into thin pieces and scanned into a computer chip. Although, I must admit that I do not have access to the entire breadth of his thoughts and memories..."

17 shuddered. "Even his own kid. Friggin' creepy, old bastard. He could even let his son rest in peace..."

18 turned to 16. "So, is that just a quarter of your brain that you aren't allowed to have access to, 16?"

16 sighed. "Not entirely. I have access to personality parameters, combat skills, and personal interests in relation to Gebo. But, almost nothing more than that..."

He closed his eyes. "I am locked out of all of Gebo's memories...bar on specific memory that remains unencrypted, if only because Dr. Gero constantly accessed it for personal use..."

18 cocked her head. "And that would be?"

16 spoke. "It is a song."

18 flinched back. "A song, huh? What song is it? Something orchestral? Or..."

16 opened one eye, looking at 18. "I can play it for you through my external speakers, if you would like to hear it."

18 nodded. "Yeah! I want to hear it! 17?"

17 shrugged. "I don't mind."

The van fell quiet. 16's external speakers crackled to life. And then gentle, old-timey music began to distantly play in the background. And a woman's voice started to sing, quietly and almost soothingly.

"If it takes forever, I will wait for you~

For a thousand summers, I will wait for you~

Till you're back beside me, till I'm holding you~

Till I hear you sigh~

Here, in my arms~"

18 was stunned. "W-Wow..."

16 glanced up at her. She spoke, almost reverently. "Her voice...it's so beautiful..."

She cocked her head. "16, who's singing this?"

16 shrugged. "I am unaware. But...my logic centers tell me that the song is directed towards me. And... I personally find the song soothing in a way that I cannot quantify..."

18 leaned back in her seat. "Y-Yeah. It's...it's a very comforting voice..."

17 could only nod in agreement. And so, the three Androids continued along with their trip, the mysterious, soothing melody continuing to play.

"If it takes forever, I will wait for you~

For a thousand summers, I will wait for you~

Till you're here beside me, till I'm touching you~

And forevermore~

Sharing our love~"